Edwabd a



(No Model.)

B. A WILSON.-

' SNAP HOOK.

N0.'381,789. Patented Apr. 24, 1888'.

FIG I N PEIERS, PNnnLiNmgnpMr. Washington. D. Q

UNiTED TAihlS PATENT @riricn.

EDXVARD A. \VILSON, OF DEOKEBTOIVN, NEV JERSEY.

SNAP=HOOK.

.BPECIE'IOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,739, da e5. April 24, 1888.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it nmy concern/.-

Be it known that 1, EDXVARD A. WILsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Deckertown, in the county of Sussex and State of blow Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Snap-Hooks for Harness; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the inven ance experienced from the freezing of harness snaps from mud and watersplashing onto them.

- Myinvention completely-avoids all such freezing, and provides a snap which is easily and cheaply constructed and thoroughly efficient in practice. I attain these objects by placing a spiral or coiled springin a sleeve and turning the upper end at right angles, so as to form the tongue, the end of the sleeve being made into the hook or draw. To prevent ice forming in the hinge of the usual form of soap hooks, I make the tongue without a hinge, the coiled spring acting as such, and the torsion of the spring keeping its end,which forms the tongue, always bearing against the point of the book.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, and which illustrate my invention, the same letters of reference indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a front view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section.

A is the body of the snap, formed hollow in the shape of a sleeve, being cast in one piece with the hook, and provided with the shoulder B for the reception of the head 0, and at the other end with the eye F. The book at D is beveled, so as to give greater facility in passing a thick ring into the snap-hook.

E is the coiled spring, the lower end of which may rest against a stop in the bottom of the sleeve, and in shape made to conform to that leeve. The other end of the wire forming the said spiral spring is carried inward to the center of the coil at E, bent upward suffi ciently to clear the surface of the head of the sleeve, then bent at right angles outwardly, and again bent upward to form the tongue G. The head 0 of the sleeve has an aperture in the center to receive the wire, the said aperture being only sufficiently large to allow the wire to turn easily, but not-1o allow dirt or mud to reach the coil, thus preventing any freezing from taking place. The sleeve carries the hook D, which may be cast in one piece with the sleeve, and the eye F for the reception of a strap.

My invention may be applied to any part of a harness. For instance, it may be attached to the saddle-tree. In fact, my snaphook may advantageously be used for fastening back the checkrein, for in cold weather, when the usual form of snap-hook is used, the freezing of the tongue to the end of the hook occasions a great deal of trouble, from the fact that it is placed at such a height from the ground; or it may be attached to any of the straps of the harness or carriage and to the ends of the reins where they hook onto the bridle or bits.

I do not restrict myself to the shape of the body of the snap-hook, as shown and herein previously described, for it is evident that the hook of the snaphook may start from the center of a sleeve in the form of a post, around which the coiled or spiral spring may be placed, and when it reaches the end of the sleeve it may branch and form the book. It is not intended that the snap-hook should be used only for harness, but may be used for any purpose where such a device is required.

Having described in y said invention, what I claim is- 1. In a harness or other snap-hook, the coup bination of a sleeve forming the body of the snap and provided with a hook, a coiled or spiral spring in the sleeve, and a tongue made integral with the said spring, substantially as described.

2. In a harness or othersnap-hook, the combination of a sleeve forming the body of the snap-hook and provided with a hook, and a coiled spring placed within said sleeve and bent so as to project and form atongue bearing against the hook, substantially as described.

3. In a harness or other snap-hook, the com bination of a sleeve having a hook formed in In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature in tegral with it, a wire coiled in the shape of a presence of two witnesses. spiral spring Within the sleeve and having one end projecting through an aperture in the head EDWARD A. WILSON. of the said sleeve and bent so as to form a scribed.

tongue adapted to bear against the end of the hook and close the snap, substantially as de- Witnesses:

FRANK KEYS, THOS. E. Woons. 

